Heir Of Darkness
by ZephyrWriter
Summary: Kovu- Scar's chosen heir, former killer and now the Prideland's Prince Regent. However, shadows still linger within the kingdom, and when the long-lost Prince returns, strange happenings come to Kovu's attention. Remember- things are never as they seem...


_Author's Note: Yes, I'm back! And I bring you a new story- my own sequel to the Lion King 2. This story was inspired by the fact that there were some factors of the films that I don't think were properly explained, as well as some fan theories that got me thinking. Be forewarned- this isn't your average Lion King 4. It is going to be be significantly darker than the sequel or midquel, or even the original at times. It will explore Scar's character and history in depth, and my version of the Lion King backstory may be significantly different than out-of-movie canon. As well, although some fan theories will be making appearances, the results of these theories may be significantly different than the usually interpretation. _

_The prologue was inspired by the music of the band, 30 Seconds to Mars._

_I am still working on the Sabaec trilogy- I'm just going to be working on the two stories concurrently. R&R, please. Enjoy!_

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Prologue- Echoes of the Past

The soft pounding of the rain on Chumvi's fur marked the return of the approval of the Great Kings- at least that was what the young lion believed. He had been raised to believe that, and despite Scar's outlawing of the old belief systems, Chumvi secretly held onto them, the last remnants of the life he had lived before Scar's rise to power, before the famine had taken hold of the Pridelands. Chumvi could recall several of the old lionesses gossiping quietly soon after the herds had left, when Chumvi and the other cubs had barely reached adolescence. The gentle whispers, recalling that the famine was a bad omen sent by the Great Kings in disapproval of Scar's reign still echoed in Chumvi's mind, and he believed them.

His mate, however, was another story.

Chumvi narrowed his eyes slightly as he approached the alcove that Fautia had picked out when she had first discovered she was pregnant. The scent of the decaying piece of zebra that Chumvi had been able to sneak away from the hyenas' lairs wasn't as strong as it had been before, but the feel of the food on his tongue was getting harder to resist- he needed to get it fast.

Finally, he was able to squeeze through the cramp entrance into the slightly larger cave, the heavy scent of his mate saturating the walls, along with a soft, warm scent that scent Chumvi's paws tingling. Low squeaks sounded in the darkness, and as Chumvi gazed forward, the origin of the sounds was revealed to be in between Fautia's paws.

Fautia looked up as Chumvi entered, and let out a low growl of annoyance. "Food?"

Chumvi tensed slightly at his mate's harsh tone, but gently set down the meat beside her. She snapped, pulling the piece into her mouth. Tasting the flesh, her eyes softened, and she glanced back at Chumvi, her eyes revealing a hint of love. "Thank you," she murmured, and Chumvi softly pressed his muzzle to her own, in a soft moment of peace in the storm.

Another squeak brought the pair back to the current moment, and Chumvi hurriedly squatted beside his mate, gazing in awe at the two little forms in her paws. Two day- old cubs, almost half the size of their mother's paws, were nestled together in their mother's forelegs. One male, one female.

The female was a light tan, her coloring the same as her mother's, the light tan. Her chin ruffs were already pronounced. Her nose was the same shape as her mother's, the curved, harsher features already pronounced. However, her father's nose color had made it in- a symbol of her mixed heritage.

While Chumvi's daughter resembled her mother more than anything, his son had Chumvi's features be predominant. The cub's fur was a dark brown and tan, with a little tuft of even darker colored hair on his head, showing the beginnings of a mane. However, as Chumvi watched his son stretch a tiny paw out in reflex, his toes were revealed to have his mother's shade of tan, in contrast to Chumvi's own solid colored paws.

Watching his children, the lion's heart melted.

"Any names yet?" he asked softly, although even his whisper seemed harsh in the quiet space.

Fautia shook her head. "Not quite," she said a bit louder, but she brought her cubs closer to her, and licked them each affectionately.

Finally, Chumvi couldn't take it anymore. He leaned in, and gently pressed his muzzle to the cubs' sides. Their warm scent mixed in his nostrils, and he shut his eyes, taking in the moment.

In the years after, Chumvi would treasure this moment with all his heart and mind, remembering the one moment he had with his son and daughter.

The sound of rough pads outside his den caused Chumvi to raise his head abruptly, causing his cubs to squeak slightly at the jostle. A pair of ragged scents merged into the cave, and Chumvi froze, even as the other lions began to squeeze into the den.

Fautia looked up as well, and dipped her head as she recognized the intruder. "Your Grace," she said respectfully, as Zira, Scar's queen, forced herself into the den.

Chumvi felt himself being brushed to the side, as Zira pushed herself to stand in front of his mate, her tail flicking expectantly. The queen leaned forward, all her attention on Chumvi's cubs. "My my, how…lovely they are," Zira said in a whisper, and a grin slowly spread along her muzzle.

Chumvi tensed slightly, and hissed at Zira's words. He had never liked the new queen, and her intrusion wasn't welcome, at least in his eyes. In response, Zira flicker her ear towards him, but continued to study his cubs.

Zira leaned forward more strongly, sniffing each of the cubs in turn. Fautia scooted back, to allow the queen more room. Zira gazed at the girl with a approving nod, and then turned to the boy. She gazed at him for a moment, until she gently turned him over, causing him to squeak in protest. The sound of his son's cry caused Chumvi to tense and growl in warning, but Zira was too enthralled with his son. For a moment, Zira just stared at the young cub, until a large smile erupted on her muzzle. "Congratulations," Zira said a bit louder, "Your cubs have been chosen."

Chumvi stared at the queen in shock, barely registering Fautia's own squeak of glee. "What do you mean, they have been chosen?" He said loudly, stepping forward.

However, as he did, more movement came from behind, and Chumvi found himself being roughly buffeted back, out of his den. Startled, he looked up, to find three of Zira's attendants entering his den.

Chumvi barely had time to get his bearings before the attendants exited back out of the den, and Chumvi could only stare when he saw the last carrying his daughter out. After a brief pause, Zira herself emerged, carrying Chumvi's crying son in her teeth. Fautia stepped out as well, a look of pure delight etched on her features.

Chumvi stood frozen for an instant, and then let out a loud snarl, causing the other gathered lionesses to glance up at the scene. "Zira, what is the meaning of this?" he said harshly, leaning into a crouch. "You can't move them-"

"Chumvi, hush!" Fautia said abruptly, interrupting her mate's speech. Zira stopped suddenly, and gazed at the enraged lion, her expression oddly calm. She flicked her ears towards one of her attendants, and passed off Chumvi's son calmly.

With a false regality, Zira walked towards Chumvi, a sly grin on her face. "Why, Chumvi," she began, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "I thought you had heard- Scar has decided to pick his heir from amongst the pride. When he heard about Fautia's birth, he sent me to scout them out." With this, she grinned harder. "I'm honored to say that your son has been selected to be the next king, on Scar's orders themselves."

Chumvi could only stare at the queen in shock. "What? But Scar has a son- your's. Why would he need mine?"

Zira's grin turned into a snarl at these words. "Are you questioning the will of your king? Scar wanted a new heir- that is all that matters. You should be honored by this, not sniveling about the circumstances."

Chumvi felt his hackle's rise at Zira's sudden overreaction. He moved his claws in order to prepare for a confrontation. "I'm not honored, not in the slightest," Chumvi snarled, losing his calm. "These are my cubs, my blood! King or no King, Scar has no right to take them from me, from my mate." Fautia looked like she was going to protest this, but Chumvi pressed on. "He is not their father, nor are you their mother. I am their father, despite the King's wishes."

Zira hissed loudly at this. "You have no right to dispute your king's decisions. He has chosen these cubs, and the boy is to be Scar's heir. Now- stand aside!"

Chumvi snarled even louder, and moved closer to Zira. "You'll take them- over my dead body!"

Zira let out a low growl, and that was all the warning Chumvi had. He was broadsided from his left, and fiery claws lanced into his side. Roaring in rage, Chumvi clawed at his attacker, batting the lioness away. Zira flicked her tail, and two more of her attendants leaped onto the young lion, following into the battle. Chumvi buckled under the weight, and his first attacker jumped into the fray, along with yet another. Chumvi roared again, the mass of lionesses pulling him to the ground. He saw Zira begin to make her way towards his son, who was now wailing on the ground.

The sight of his helpless son drove Chumvi to the edge, and with another roar, he threw a pair of his attackers off, and he bolted towards the walking queen, jumping on her. He grabbed her right ear in his teeth, and furiously clawed down her side. Hissing loudly, Zira twisted in his grip, clawing at his underbelly. For a few seconds, the pair rolled around in the clearing, the blood beginning to run down their sides.

However, soon, another group of lionesses joined the fray, pulling the enraged Chumvi off of their queen. Sensing he was going to lose Zira, he bit down hard on her ear, and was able to sport a grin as the queen roared in pain as he was wrenched off of her.

He spat out the piece of the queen's ear, only to be beset by more of the lionesses. He tried to claw his way back, but the onslaught of enemies forced him back, until he finally clawed the lioness in front of him back, he tried to bolt for Zira again-

He heard the swish before the impact, and barely had time to see the incoming paw before it hit the side of his head, and his vision went black soon after. In those last moments of clarity, he could see the small body of his son, drenched in the first storm the land had seen in months.

He was unaware that, at that moment, a low roar was sounding at Pride Rock, a good distance away from the main Outsider settlement. Chumvi didn't know, that the rightful heir, and the mate of Chumvi's childhood friend, had just ascended to the top of Pride Rock, and was now proclaiming his rule.

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Zira glanced at Chumvi's fallen body, knowing that the lion had just been knocked unconscious by his own mate. She, as well, didn't know that her beloved mate had been dethroned, and was currently the latest meal of the very hyenas he had brought into the Pride Lands.

In the bliss of ignorance, she motioned to the fallen Chumvi, and murmured, "Take him far from here- he is now exiled."

Glancing back down at the tiny cub in her paws, she began to speak to her new son. "You, shall have a great destiny- you shall know the way of royalty, the way of rule." Her smile brightened again. "You are the heir- my son, Kovu."


End file.
